Edward Snowden, the former Booz-Allen contractor who leaked details of the National Security Agency's sweeping Internet surveillance programs, was reported to have been granted papers by the Russian government that allow him to leave the transit zone at Sheremetyevo International Airport, where he has resided in limbo since leaving Hong Kong a month ago. According to the Interfax news agency, Snowden received his papers this afternoon and is preparing to leave the airport.

"The American is currently getting ready to leave," Interfax reported, based on information provided by an unnamed source. "He will be given new clothes. Lawyer Anatoly Kucherena will bring the papers he needs to leave the transit zone of the airport."

RT.com reported that Kucherena arrived at the airport at 4pm Moscow time with two large paper bags. He is said to have delivered the transit papers to Snowden, who applied for temporary asylum in Russia last week. "“He’s planning to arrange his life here. He plans to get a job. And, I think, that all his further decisions will be made considering the situation he found himself in,” Kucherena told RT in a recent interview.

Update: In an interview with CNN after his visit with Snowden, Kucherena said that the paperwork has not yet arrived, and that Snowden is still not free to leave the airport. He added that the transit papers could come "at any time."